Folding chair



April 19, 1932. w 1,854,194

FOLDING CHAIR Filed May 5, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V H 74 "Y ,1: 7

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Patented A pr.19, 19 32 1 I I .1,854,194

UNITED STATES PATIENT orries anon) sown, or m Yonx, N. -Y., ASSIGNOB 'ro HOWEI'OLDING runm'ruim, 11m, vor111 1111110121;my.

y rormme cnam uses filed Kay], 1631. Serial 110. 585,188.

' M invention relates to a folding device is pivoted to theback frame as by means of for urniture and the like and is particularly the pins 8 on which are journaled the ears 9 of adaptable for folding chairs, tables, beds, a metalpi ce 10 carried at the rear edge of shelves, benches, etc. f the seat The seat 7 may be cut-out as at 51 The primary object of my invention hes 11 at 1ts rear corners to receive the extensions in the provision of a link mechanism so ar- 5 of the rear legs thus providing a full width ranged as to provide for the parts or surfaces seat. to be folded with respect to each other, a The rear legs 3 and 4 may be connected also very positive aswell as synchronized folding 2g finfigns of the cross braces 12 and 13 for a 1 y. v p The device is especially applicable to fold- The front legs 1' and 2 are connected at able parts which comprise a pair of supporttheir upper ends by a cross brace 14 to which ed to be folded to substantially parallel rela- 1 and 2 are, therefore, foldable as a unit'wlth 15' tion with and adjacent to a .relativelyfixed respect to the underside of the seat 7. third surface; V v. Y Pivoted at one end to each of the front legs Another feature of my invention lies in the 1 and 2 and the rear legs 3 and 4 are the links provision of a novel locking device which 16, 17,18, and 19 respectively. The opposite cooperates with the. foldin link mechanism ends of these links are provided with a com- 30 to rigidly lock it in one position whereby acc1- mon pivot 20 positioned substantially cendental or inadvertent displacement thereof trally of the underside of the seat 7. A link is prevented. 21 is likewise pivoted to this common-pivot Other objects and advantages in details of .pin 20v at one end and at its opposite end is construction and arrangement of parts willpivoted to thevertical depending flange 22 be apparent as-the descriptlon proceeds, refof an angle strip 23 suitably secured as by erence now being had to the figures of the acscrews 24 to the underside of the chair seat7.

'80 In the drawings:

companying drawings forming'a art of this Thus there is provided a series of links piv- 1 application and wherein like re erence nuotally connected at one end with the chair legs .meralsindicate like parts. I .and seat and provided at their opposite ends 1 i with a free common pivot. The result of'this Figure 1 is a perspective view of'my 1marrangement is that if the chair seat is lifted proved folding mechanism shown in cooperfor folding back against the back of the chair, ative relation with a chair-outlined in phan- 'thefront'legs 1 and 2 will be positively and tom. p j synchronously folded therewith to the posi- Figure 2 is"a side view of a chair equipped tion shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 and in I with my invention; full lines in Figure 3. Likewise when the Figure 3 is a frontplan view of the :chair seat 7 is lowered the front legs will be osiwith the seat and front legs raised .or folded tively and synchronously unfolded there om adjacent the chair back and frame. to seat supporting position as in Figures 1 40 Figure 4 is a detail side view taken on the and 2.

line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing a portion of Although this invention has been illustratthe locking mechanism. 1 ed in connection with a'chair, it is to be under- Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the stood that it is not limited thereto inasmuch locking mechanism.

The reference characters 1, and 2, refer to illustrated herein might ,well besurfa ces foldthe front legs of the chair and the references able in-connection with a rear surface corre- 3 and 4: to the rear legs thereof. The rear. sponding tothe rear legs and frame ofthe legs 3 and 4 extend upwardly as at 5 to prochair, but used for an entirely different purvide a back frame and connecting these expose. For instance, the same link applicatended portions is the back rest 6. A seat 7 tion would be effective in folding and unmg surfaces or elements and which are adaptis hinged as at 16 the's'eat 7. The front legs as the folding portions 7 and 1-- 2 of -the chair- I folding the parts or surfaces of a shelf with respect to a wall, a table, ironing board, or wall bed and the like.

Means are also provided whereby the folding mechanism may be releasably locked in one position.

Fixed upon one side of the vertical flange 22'of the angle bracket 23 is a headed pin 25. Slidable along one side of thisdependingflange of the angle bracket is one end of a locking bar 26 provided with a slot 27 within which the pin 25 is positioned, thus providing for a guided sliding movement of the locking bar 26. Spaced a short distance from the slot 27 in the bar 26 is a pin member 28 extending laterally of the bar. This pin is adapted to cooperate with a notch or recess 29 in one end of the flange 22. A coil spring 30 has one end secured to the headed pin 25 on the flange 22 and its opposite end secured to the pin 28 on the locking bar, whereby to normally urge the pin 28 into engagement with the recess 29.

A link 31 is pivotally connected as at 32 to the locking bar 26 and at its opposite end to the common pivot 20 of the links 17, 18, 19 and 21.

The locking bar 26 immediately forward of the link 31 is twisted or bent as at 33 whereby the same will lie flat from that point forwardly to a point immediately in the rear of the cross brace 14., where the bar is turned downwardly as at 34 to provide a finger piece immediately in back of the cross piece 14. By this means the locking bar can be manipulated, that is pulling forwardly against the tension of the spring 30 to release the pin 28 from the recess 29 and permit the folding action above described.

As the seat and front legs are folded downwardly again to supporting position, the pin 28 finds its seat in the recess 29 and thus locks the link mechanism against folding movement without operation of the locking bar.

Of course, chan es may be made in details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I do not limit myself, therefore, to the exact form herein shown and described other than by the appended claims.

Claims:

1. A folding chair comprising a back and rear legs, a seat pivoted thereto, front legs pivoted to said seat, and means connecting said legs and seat whereby movement of said seat to and from folded position causes positive and synchronous movement of said front legs, said means comprising links pivoted at one end to said seat and legs and to a free common pivot at their opposite ends said pivot being disposed directly under said seat and substantially centrally thereof.

2. A folding chair comprising a back and rear legs, a seatpivoted thereto, front legs pivoted to said seat, means connecting said 3. In combination, a folding mechanism for three members, the first of said members being pivotally connected at substantially a right angle to the second-member and the second member being pivotally connected at substantially a right angle to the third member, three links each pivoted to one of said members, and all of said links having a free common pivot disposed substantially centrally under said second member.

4. A folding chair comprising a back and rear legs, a seat pivoted thereto, front legs pivoted to said seat, separate links pivoted at one end to each of said legs and seat, and a free common ivot for the opposite endsof all of said lin disposed substantially centrally of the underside of said seat.

5. A folding chair comprising a back and rear legs, a seat pivoted thereto, front legs pivoted to said seat, and means connected at one end with said legs and seat and convergin therefrom to a common element disposed substantially centrally under said seat whereby movement of said seat to and from folded position causes positive and synchronous movement of said front legs.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

HAROLD HOWE. 

